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7:1 This is not a prohibition against honest recognition of others' faults, but rather a warning against passing judgement in a spirit of arrogance, or while forgetting one's own faults.

7:3 'Splinter' is also translated as mote; and in this case, refers to light sins.

7:5 While 'hypocrites' most commonly refers to scribes and Pharisees (in Matthew), here it is applied to those erring Christian disciples who ignore their own serious offenses while focusing on the minor faults of others.

7:6 'Dog and swine' were Jewish terms of contempt for Gentiles; in light of other Matthew teachings, we read this to apply to obstinately unrepentant fellow Christians. Some commentators (Haydock among them) expand it to refer to those who are enemies to the truth of Christ.

7:8 "Whatever we ask necessary to salvation with humility, fervour, perseverance, and other due circumstances, we may be assured God will grant when it is best for us. If we do not obtain what we pray for, we must suppose it is not conducive to our salvation, in comparison of which all else is of little moment." (Haydock)

7:12 In the 18th century, dubbed the "Golden Rule," it is found in both negative and positive forms, in both pagan and Jewish sources, both earlier and later than the gospels. Thus we can perhaps conclude it is a universal wisdom that humans come to. "For this is the law and prophets" means "this is the sum of the law and of the prophets, the whole law of the Jews" (Menochius).

7:13-28 These verses are a series of antitheses, contrasting two ways of living within the Christian community: those who follow the words of Christ and those who don't.

7:15-20 As in the OT, those who claimed to speak in the name of God were called prophets. And also like the OT, there were both true and false ones.

7:17-18 These verses are not to say that a man cannot change and start to bear good fruit, nor that a man once producing good works always remains so. It is to show that as a man is in a certain state (sin or grace), the fruit he bears will be marked by this.

7:28-29 'When Jesus finished these words'...this or similar words used by Matthew to conclude each of the five great discourses.

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Witnessing by charity and love are above all. Studying the Bible and beyond helps me on this quest. Feel free to join my walk into the Bible.

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~~~Prayer before Writing-Oh creator of the universe, who has set the stars in the heavens and causes the sun to rise and set, shed the light of your wisdom into the darkness of my mind. Fill my thoughts with a loving knowledge of you, that I may bring you like to others. Just as you can make even babies speak your truth, instruct my tongue and guide my pen to convey the wonderful glory of the Gospel. Make my intellect sharp, my memory clear, and my words eloquent, so that I may faithfully interpret the mysteries what you have revealed.

To my readers & fellow writers, I promise: 1. I will pray that God's grace helps illuminate all of our interactions- both those of simple reading and more active conversations.

2. I will communicate with you respectfully and civilly. These are (rightly) issues which we feel passionate about. But even in disagreements, I will respect you fellow "seekers of truth."3. I will not fall into negative behavior or words, such as insinuations, exaggerations, blames, or personal attacks. I respectfully ask you to do the same.

4. I will pray we will all find the truth and strive to fulfill the two greatest commandments: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:30-31)